The Works of Lord Byron: Letters and Journals Volume II Part 84

369.--To John Murray.

Dec. 3, 1813.

My dear Sir,--Look out the Encyclopedia article _Mecca_ whether it is there or at _Medina_ the Prophet is entombed, if at Medina the first lines of my alteration must run:

Blest as the call which from Medina's dome Invites Devotion to her Prophet's tomb, etc.

If at "Mecca" the lines may stand as before. Page 45, C. 2nd, 'Bride of Abydos'. Yours, B.

You will find this out either by Article _Mecca, Medina_ or _Mahommed_.

I have no book of reference by me.

370.--To John Murray.

[No date.]

Did you look out? is it _Medina_ or _Mecca_ that contains the _holy_ Sepulchre? don't make me blaspheme by your negligence. I have no books of reference or I would save you the trouble. I _blush_ as a good Mussulman to have confused the point. Yours, B.

371.--To John Murray.

Dec. 4, 1813.

Dear Sir,--I have redde through your Persian Tales [1], and have taken the liberty of making some remarks on the _blank_ pages. There are many beautiful pa.s.sages, and an interesting story; and I cannot give you a stronger proof that such is my opinion, than by the _date_ of the _hour--two o'clock_,--till which it has kept me awake _without a yawn_.

The conclusion is not quite correct in _costume_: there is no _Mussulman suicide_ on record--at least for _love_. But this matters not. The tale must have been written by some one who has been on the spot, and I wish him, and he deserves, success. Will you apologise to the author for the liberties I have taken with his MS.? Had I been less awake to, and interested in, his theme, I had been less obtrusive; but you know _I_ always take this in good part, and I hope he will. It is difficult to say what _will_ succeed, and still more to p.r.o.nounce what _will not_.

_I_ am at this moment in _that uncertainty_ (on your _own_ score); and it is no small proof of the author's powers to be able to _charm_ and _fix_ a _mind's_ attention on similar subjects and climates in such a predicament. That he may have the same effect upon all his readers is very sincerely the wish, and hardly the _doubt_, of

Yours truly, B.

[Footnote 1: Henry Gally Knight (1786-1846), who was with Byron at Trinity, Cambridge, and afterwards distinguished himself by his architectural writings (e.g. 'The Normans in Sicily,' 1838), began his literary career with 'Ilderim, a Syrian Tale' (1816). 'Phrosyne, a Grecian Tale'; 'Alashtar, an Arabian Tale' (1817), was followed, after a considerable interval, by 'Eastern Sketches' (about 1829-30). If the ma.n.u.script of the first-mentioned volume is that to which Byron refers, he seems to have changed his mind as to its merits (March 25, 1817):

"I tried at 'Ilderim;'

Ahem!"]

372.--To John Murray.

Monday evening, Dec. 6, 1813.

Dear Sir,--It is all very well, except that the lines are not numbered properly, and a diabolical mistake, page 67., which _must_ be corrected with the _pen_, if no other way remains; it is the omission of "_not_"

before "_disagreeable_" in the _note_ on the _amber_ rosary. This is really horrible, and nearly as bad as the stumble of mine at the Threshold--I mean the _misnomer_ of bride. Pray do not let a copy go without the "_not_;" it is nonsense, and worse than nonsense, as it now stands. I wish the printer was saddled with a vampire.

Yours ever, B.

P.S.--It is still _hath_ instead of _have_ in page 20.; never was any one so _misused_ as I am by your Devils of printers.

P.S.--I hope and trust the "_not_" was inserted in the first Edition. We must have something--any thing--to set it right. It is enough to answer for one's own bulls, without other people's.